Improvement in tobacco-box clamps



W. P. GILMER. Tobacco-Box Clamp.

Patented Sept. 30,1879.

INVENTOR ORNEYS.

N PETERS. PHOTO LlTHOGR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM r. GILMER, OF MOUNT Alex, NORTH CAROLINA.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOBACCO-BOX CLAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 220,135, dated September 30, 1879; application filed June 5, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. GILMIER, of Mount Airy, in the county of Surry and State of North Carolina, have invented anew and Improved Tobacco-Box Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps for holding the boxes under the plunger of presses for compressing plug-tobacco in the boxes, the object whereof is to enable boxesof difterentsizes to be clamped and held securely under the plunger and in the proper position relative thereto.

My invention consists in making one half of the clamp in two parts, the one containing the angular recess for the corner of the box being adjustable, so as to permit it to slip around back or forth and adjust itself to the box, and in clamping the recesses in each half are brought to a perfectsquare merely by tightening the key-wedge.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of press containing my improvements on line as a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line :20 m, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the press.

Similar letters of referencejndicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the bed of the press, from opposite sides whereof rise standards B B, supporting a cross-bar, 0, through the middle whereof runs the screwshaft a, supporting and operating the plunger D.

The clamp is composed of a circular plate divided diametrically into two parts, D D. The peripheries of the parts are bound with metal bands E, the ends whereof, on one side, are hinged together at a, thus connecting the two parts of theclamp, but allowing them to swing to and apart at will.

To the opposite end of the strap on part D is fixed a plate, I), provided with aslot, c, and at the end of this plate is a slotted projection, (1 and at the end of the strap on D is a semicircular plate, c, having a slotted projecting tongue, 6, adapted to pass through the slotted projection 01, and in the slot 0, Where it is held by the key 61, passed down through its slot, thus fastening the two parts of the clamp together.

In part D is a right-angular recess, f, and in part D a semicircular piece, F, is cut out, and provided with a right-angular recess, f, so that when the two parts are placed together they form a square socket to receive the box.

The clamp is placed upon the bed A, the part D on one side of the standards B B, and part D on the opposite'side, recesses g 9 being made in the faces of the two parts at each end for the standards. The part D is securely fastened to the standard by means of the plate 0 at the side of the clamp opposite the hinge, which is a little larger than the standard, for the purpose of receiving a wedge on either side of the standard, in order to maintain the diagonal center immediately under the plunger when prizing in larger or smaller boxes.

The manner of operating the improvement is as follows: When the plug-tobacco is to be pressed into the box, the clamp is opened, and the box G placed on the bed under the plunger, with the opposite corners toward or in line with the standards B B. The two parts of the clamp are then brought together against the box, so that it is clasped in the socket formed by the two recesses ff.

The clamp should be made to clamp the smallersized boxes which will be held securely.

When it is desired to clamp a larger box, the sub-section F is simplycmoved around in the part D until the vertex of its angle is diagonally opposite to that of the fixed section D. This will cause the box to come directly under the plunger.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut- The described box-clamp for plug-tobacco, having one half made in two sections, the adj ustable section containing recess for corner of box, and the recesses of both when brought to gether forming a square, as shown and dc scribed.

WILLIAM P. GILMER.

Witnesses T. M. BROWER, J B. HOLLINGSWORTH. 

